Blast



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. F. WILOOX.

BLAST APPLIANCE FOR CONVERTERS.

No. 317,478. Patented May 5, 1885.

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NTTED STAT PATENT OFFICE.

JOTIN F. WILOUX, OF PITTSBURG, PA., ASSIGNOR TO HENRY W. OLIVER, JR, AND JAMES P. WITHEROW, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

BLAST APPLIANCE FOR CONVERTERS.

v SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,478, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed March 16,1885. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. WILCOX, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Blast Appliances for Converters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to converters having a removable bottom or lower section, and is de' signed to obviate the necessity of tipping the converter, or of using separate valves or plugs in the tuyeres or tuyere-pipes, to prevent the molten metal from entering and chilling in the tuyeres. It is operated by means of the meth' od which forms the subject-matter of my application No. 155,180, tiled February 7, 1885; and it consists in providing a converter which has a blast-controlling valve in the main blastpipe, with a blasttrunk supported on the removable lower section, havinga single detachable connection with the blast-main,whereby the converter is entirely clear of valves or plugs for each tuyere and their operating appliances,these devices being wholly dispensed with and the bottom can be removed'and replaced by disconnecting and connecting only onejoint, and without disturbing or affecting the means whereby the molten metal is kept out of the tuyeres.

The method heretofore referred to, which is practiced in this converter, consists in maintaining in the tuyeres during the periods when the metal is not under blow a sufficient pneumatic pressure to counterbalance the column of molten metal in the converter. Such method difl'ers from that practiced in the converters spoken of as having separate plugs or valves for each tuyere or tuyere-pipe, in that such separate plugs or valves when closed admitted only a minute quantity of air, for the purpose of keeping the metal which entered the tuyeres in a molten condition.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe it on the line w w of Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views of modified forms of the controlling valve.

Like letters of reference indicatelike parts.

The upper or stationary part, a, of the con- "erter is supported by suitable columns, and is provided with lugs or projections to for the attachment of the lower section or bottom, I). The bottom bis provided with a circular blastpipe, 0, which is attached to the metallic shell I), and at suitable intervals is provided with doors 0, through which the tuyeres are inspected and kept in order. The tuyeres f are arranged radially at suitable intervals in the sides of the converter, the outer ends termia concave or dish-shaped seat, l, around the opening l,by which the air is admitted thereto, and the connecting end of the pipe iis convex, as at i, so as to fit closely inside of the seat. The delivery end of the piper; is connected to the converter by means of the pivoted straps or hooks Z which are secured-in place by keys i passing through or back of securing-lugs i on the sides of the pipe z. This construction permits of slight variations of position between the parts l and 1', without dislocation or destroying the tightness of the joint, and the construction of the connecting-pipes z and It allows forvariations of position of the lower section of the converter, such as are liable to occur in changing or inserting a new bottom.

It is almost invariably the case that when the bottom is changed it will not come exactly to the same position as occupied by it before the change. The pipes t and 7c are counterbalm back of the joint k.

Arranged in the pipe h, between the blastengine and the converter, is a valve, or, having a lever, 11, attached to its axle and operating in connection with a segmental rack, n upon 103 which there is a stop, n capable of being adjusted to any desired position. The purpose anced by the weight m, secured to the lever 5 r of this valve is to control the blast supplied to the tuyeres of the converter. The capacity of the pipe h is such that when the valve ais fully opened the maximum pressure of the blast for treating the metal in the converter is obtained, and the stop a is arranged at a point that will permit the closing of the valve n sufficiently to admit the requisite pressure of blast to sustain the column of metal above the mouths of the tuyeres when the valve is in such closed position, so as to prevent the molten metal from entering and clogging up or destroying the tuyeres.

The operations practiced in the converter a; used by me require a maximum pressure of about seven pounds, and the charge is such as usually requires a pressure of about three pounds to sustain the column of metal at the mouths of the tuyeres. The stop a is therefore arranged at the proper point to reduce the pressure of the blast at the tuyeres to three pounds, so that when the active treatment of the metal is not desired the lever in is turned until it comes in contact with the stop, whereby the valve is brought to the closed position shown in Fig. 1, and the blastpressure is reduced to the amount stated. The same result may be accomplished in other ways, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. In Fig. 3 the valve n is capable of closing completely, as it is provided with openings 11., the area of which is sufficient to supply the requisite amount of blast to obtain the .minimum pressure at the tuyeres when the valve itself is closed.

In Fig. 4 the pipe h is provided with a bypass, h, extending around the valve n, which, in this case, is solid and capable of being closed entirely, as shown. The capacity of the pipe h is sufficient to supply the minimum pressure at the mouths of the tuyeres. Preferably, the pipe h is provided with a valve, 1L2, for closing it, if desired.

In Fig. 5 the pipe h is provided with a lateral branch or opening, 0, in which there is a relief-valve, 0, which is coupled to valve 02 by the lever 0 pivoted link or rod 0 and lever 0 (shown by broken lines,) so that as the valve n is closed the valve 0 will be opened sufficiently to permit the amount of blast, which is thereby prevented from passing the valve n, to escape by the branch 0, whereby the pressure at the tuyeres will be reduced correspondingly. The metal-tap is shown at 9, Fig. 1, and the cinder-notch at q, Fig. 2.

My invention enables me to simplify and cheapen the construction and use of the converter, facilitate repairs and the changing of the bottom, effect a saving of time and labor in changing the bottom, and render the operation of the converter more eflicient and certain.

While I have described my invention as applied to afixed converter having side tuyeres, I do not limit myself thereto, because it can be used with movable converters, and also with converters having bottom tuyeres. In all cases the valve in the blast must be so constructed that the minimum quantity of blast admitted thereby to the tuyeres during the period the molten metal is in the converter shall be sufficient to counterbalance the ferrostatic pressure at the tuyeres.

The column of metal in the ordinary con- I verter is from twelve to fifteen inchesdeep, and

the blast-pressure varies from twelve to twenty five pounds to the square inch. In converters having side tuyeres the pressure runs from five pounds upward, according to the location of the tuyeres when the blast is on.

In the ordinary converter, a pressure of from five to six pounds per square inch is necessary to overcome the head of the liquid column of metal.

By the use of the term regulating-valve I mean a valve in the blastpipe, which, when in its closed position, is provided with means by which the requisite volume and pressure of air is admitted to the tuyeres to counterbalance the column of metal in the converter when such metal is not under blow, whether the same be effected by the partial closing of the valve, perforations therein, a bypass around the same, or other equivalent means, the reduction of the blast being accomplished by the valve itself.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A converter having a removable lower section provided with tuyeres arranged below the metal line, in combination with a blast trunk or chamber supported on said lower section and communicating with the tuyeres, a blast-pipe, a regulating-valve arranged in said blast-pipe for admitting a minimum pressure of blast to the tuyeres when the valve is in its closed position to counterbalance the weight of the liquid column of metal at the tuyeres, and a detachable connection between the blast-pipe and the blast-trunk, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of March, A. l). 1885.

JOHN F. \VILGOX. WVitnesses W. B. Oonwrn, THOMAS B. KERR. 

